The strip of non-tattooed skin fell from his neck down to the fly he unfastened. "Do I scare you?" "No." "I should." . . . After a salacious event makes her want to leave home, Mina takes a traveling nurse position as far away as possible: Tokyo. In a different country with a different name, lies protect her from her past. Placed in an apartment near a Yakuza base, she meets Ryuzo, an alluring and disillusioned member of the criminal organization. As the two grow closer, Ryuzo admits he is trying to free himself of his gang ties. Mina vows to help him, but when she discovers his true identity, she realizes she isn't the only dirty, dirty liar. . . . Content Warning: This story is intended for mature audiences only. This story contains frequent cursing, explicit sexual content, mild violence, and mentions of drug use.

[ONC 2023 and Wattys 2024 winner!] Drug dealer Nathan just can't be bothered to care about some of the stranger things in his life. Like the spellbook he found, complete with working magic and all. Okay, fine, maybe he tried one spell, and maybe that ended with his curtains on fire. Lesson learned: leave forces you don't understand alone. Powerful magic or not - for Nathan, this is just another Wednesday. Not everyone shares his opinion. When YouTube sensation Jamie insists on making a video about his discovery and said video goes viral, Nathan finds himself in a spotlight he completely failed to foresee. While he struggles to adjust to his newfound fame, Jamie and her oddly charming eccentricities drag him into a wacky investigation of his magical tome's origins and true nature. Finding answers shouldn't be that hard. But Nathan's criminal associates want his spellbook for themselves. And they'll stop at nothing to get it.